Northern Zhou 北周

Běi Zhōu · Pääkaupunki: Chang'an

The state that finally reunited the north — and whose emperor then handed the throne to his general Yang Jian, who founded the Sui. Northern Zhou's 24 years were the hinge between 300 years of division and the Sui-Tang golden age. It also conducted a major suppression of Buddhism (574–577) — before the Tang made Buddhism a state religion.